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The Centre on Thursday announced 27 per cent reservation for OBCs and 10 per cent for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in the All-India Quota (AIQ) scheme for MBBS, MD, BDS and MDD courses. While the government claimed the move as a landmark decision, the Opposition described it is a delayed step, the Centre was forced to take after resentment from people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandavia hailed the decision. Modi said the decision will immensely help thousands of youth every year get better opportunities and create a new paradigm of social justice. “Our Government has taken a landmark decision for providing 27 per cent reservation for OBCs and 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Section in the All India Quota Scheme for undergraduate and postgraduate medical/dental courses from the current academic year,” Modi said. The Union Health Ministry said in a release that the decision would benefit nearly 1,500 OBC students in MBBS and 2,500 in post graduation and also around 550 EWS students in MBBS and around 1,000 in post graduation.
‘Due reservation’
“The present government is committed to providing due reservation both to the backward category as well as the EWS category. The Union government has now taken a historic decision to provide for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs and 10 per cent reservation for EWS in the AIQ scheme,” the government release said.
According to the Centre, the reservation from the current academic year 2021-22 enables OBC students now compete for seats in any State. The Central List of OBCs shall be used for the purpose. The AIQ consists of 15 per cent of the total available undergraduate seats and 50 per cent of the total available post graduate seats in government-run medical colleges. “Therefore, along with the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, 10 per cent reservation for EWS is also being extended in AIQ seats for all the undergraduate/postgraduate medical/dental courses from the current academic year 2021-22. “The above decision is the reflection of the government’s commitment to provide due reservation for backward and EWS category students,” the Ministry added.
The Opposition said the BJP just implemented a long-pending demand of people. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha told BusinessLine that this has been a long standing demand from the Opposition.
‘Long pending demand’
“It is typical of the BJP to make it sound like they are doing something new. The issue has been pending in the courts and we have been demanding it. It is not a new policy decision nor does it reflect any vision on their part. It is a policy decision that had already been taken,” Jha said.
SP leader and former MP Javed Ali Khan claimed the BJP was trying to end OBC reservation under AIQ. But, “They had to finally agree to implement reservation from AIQ. Whenever BJP comes to power they create uncertainty on the issue of reservation. They go on the back foot whenever they come under attack from people. Their stand towards reservation is well known,” Khan added.
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